ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Railways (PR) in the past six years from 2016-2022 has generated revenue worth Rs5.51 billion by disposing of thousands of tons of scrap.
Official documents shared with the sub-committee meeting on the Railways held here under the chairmanship of Chaudhary Mohammad Hamid Hameed here on Thursday, revealed that in 2016-17 PR disposed of scrap worth Rs434.04 million and in 2017-18 scrap worth Rs609.124 million was sold.
In 2018-19, Rs972 billion was sold, in 2019-20 worth Rs699.86 disposed of, in 2020-2021 Rs1.015 billion scrap was sold, and during the current financial year scrap worth Rs1.55 billion was disposed of.
Giving briefing on encroached lands in Lahore Division of the PR and recovery process Zafar Zaman Ranjha, secretary Railway Board and Divisional Superintendent Mian Tariq Latif said that a total 3,083 acres of land situated in Lahore Division was encroached by government departments including Punjab Rangers and private individuals.
Latif said that the federal and the provincial government departments including the Ministry of Defence attached departments were occupying major chunk of PR land as out of 3,083 acres, 1,884 acres of land is occupied by public sector departments. He added that private individuals have occupied 1,199 acres of land.
Giving further details, he said that in Lahore Division, out of 1,199 acres of land encroached by the private individuals, 172 acres were commercial land, 348 acres residential land, 633 acres agriculture land, and 46 acres of other lands.
The officials further said that in Karachi Division, a total 1,516 acres of Pakistan railways land was occupied by various persons and departments, of which, 278 acres were encroached by Ministry of Defence attached departments and 1,238 acres by private individuals.
The officials said that in Lahore division and Karachi division, a total 445 acres of land was freed from the encroachers. Moreover, encroachments from 1,691.5 acres of land by Defence/Rangers was also removed.
The railways officials said that the ministry was in close contacts with all the public-sector departments involved in encroaching the railways land including the Ministry of Defence. They said that the chief secretary Punjab and other relevant officials of the Punjab government have been informed and they are collaborating with the railways in removing the encroachments.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022